Indiana Results-Based Leadership

Since 2001, a dozen communities have used the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Leadership in Action Program (LAP) to develop results-based strategies for improving school readiness, economic well-being of families and strengthening vulnerable neighborhoods. In 2008, Marion County, Indiana became the first community to deploy LAP in order to address the growing problem of reentry into the prison system by ex-offenders. This report provides an overview of the LAP approach and how it has worked to foster teamwork, partnership and achieve tangible results in Marion County.

In This Report, You’ll Learn

The core strategies developed to successfully re-integrate ex-offenders.

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How data were used to pinpoint strategies for success.

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How collaboration and new relationships helped address challenges.

Key Takeaway

Collaboration Among Leaders Yields Better Results

The Leadership in Action program provides a structured, supported process through which communities can work together to develop data-driven strategies to solve their most pressing issues. In Marion County, Indiana, leaders from such diverse groups as the Department of Corrections, elected officials, faith communities and educators came together through LAP to develop creative, innovative strategies for helping ex-offenders successfully reintegrate into the community upon their release from prison that yielded noticeable results within the first two years of implementation.

Findings & Stats

In 2007, 49% of ex-offenders in Marion County returned to prison within 3 years of being released; 55% returned within a year.

Promising Signs of Progress

The rate of re-incarceration within 6 months of release into Marion County decreased from 16.2 to 14.4%. Rearrests within 1 year decreased from 51% to 44.6%.

New Partnerships

As a result of the Marion County LAP, a new partnership between the Marion County Jail and Ivy Tech, the state's community college, has provided Adult Basic Education and GED instruction to 187 inmates.

Statements & Quotations

We hope this LAP’s work will be a national model for other communities. The neighborhoods that Casey works with to improve conditions for kids and families tend to have more ex-offenders. Our work in places like Marion County becomes more difficult when people leaving prison or jail don’t get the help they need to support themselves or their children and find themselves returning to behavior that can harm their family and their neighborhood.